Types of Tomato Plants

The common tomato plant has two types: vining (indeterminate) and bushing (determinate).

Determinate tomato plants reach a certain height, then they flower and bear fruit. Indeterminate tomato plants, meanwhile, keep growing all season and only stop at frost.

Since they grow to be between two and five feet, determinate tomato plants are best for container gardening. However, they typically produce their fruit all at once—so you’ll need to stagger your planting times if you want fresh tomatoes all season.

Indeterminate plants are less predictable, but they produce tomatoes at a slower rate. They’re best for people who want just a few tomatoes at a time throughout the season, instead of a bunch of tomatoes once per season.

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How to Grow Tomatoes in a Container

Only plant one tomato plant per pot to avoid crowding. Some varieties may grow fine without a stake or tomato cage (buy cheap tomato cages here), while taller plants may need some added support.

Place the pots in an outdoor area that will receive at least 6 hours of full sun per day. It’s important to keep the soil moist. Keep in mind that soil in containers will drain faster than garden soil, so water generously (but don’t drown the plants).

The plants may need more water in the few days after they’re transplanted. After that, 2 inches of water per week is a good rule of thumb.

Tip: Watering early in the morning will give plants the moisture they need to survive a hot day.

How to Harvest Tomatoes

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Leave the tomatoes on the plants for as long as possible.

Only pick tomatoes once they are firm and vibrant red. (Of course, not all tomato varieties are red—wait until the fruit is the desired color, whether it’s yellow, red, or orange).

Sometimes tomatoes fall off the vine before they’re ripe, and that’s OK. If this happens, place the unripe tomatoes in a brown paper bag and store it in a cool, dark place until they’re ready to eat.

How to Store Tomatoes

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Keep ripe tomatoes at room temperature away from sunlight. Keep them in a single layer—piling tomatoes on top of each other will make them go bad faster.

Once they begin to become overripe (about three or four days), you can keep them in the fridge for a few more days.